SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 15
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty. [Jeremiah 15:16]
Jeremiah describes how he first responded to God’s calling – he accepted God’s message as if it were food, he willingly received it!
His frustration is that by faithfully delivering the awful message of judgment from God, he has been scorned and rejected by his people.
I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. [Jeremiah 15:17-18]
He is blaming God for his misery, calling God a deceptive brook, one that offers refreshment but contains bitter water; or a spring that fails, a hoped for oasis in the desert that has become dry.
Can we blame him?

I have known christians who have felt this way, who stood up to say or do the right thing only to experience ridicule, rejection or suffering.
Accepting Jesus’ calling to be His witnesses is not going to make life easier for us, in fact He says it will make it harder.
Jesus knew this from experience, enduring vicious assaults from the devil and from people, even to death.
But like Jeremiah, Jesus saw God’s message and His calling as His daily bread, more necessary than physical food.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” [Matthew 4:4]
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. [John 4:34]
But unlike Jeremiah, Jesus refused to blame God or turn from Him; He stood firm under every assault to the bitter end, and was vindicated.

God challenges Jeremiah to stand firm to the end to, and stop blaming Him.
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. [Jeremiah 15:19]
Like Jesus, if Jeremiah would stand firm, God would perform a resurrection miracle through his difficult message.
There would still be the agony of the cross (or the judgment against Israel), but it would not end in eternal destruction – God’s mercy would triumph.
I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the LORD. “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.” [Jeremiah 15:20-21]

This same calling is to us: we are not called to be popular or successful, but to speak God’s message to a broken needy world, whatever the consequences.
We are called to share Jesus and the message of forgiveness and freedom in Him, even if it means we will face ridicule or rejection.
Yes at times we will feel as if God is failing us, like we’ve been driven into a wilderness where our only company is the devil – tempting and taunting.
In those moments, will we call God a deceptive brook or a spring that fails?
Or we will declare with Jesus – my food is God’s message and God’s mission!

PRAYER:
Lord, I know what I want to say, but I also know how weak I am, and how I would more likely respond like Jeremiah. Help me stand firm!